{DIY} Holly Good Tights

I knew I was a changed woman when I stared picking Holly trees for the berries. And the berries for a pair of hosiery that HAD to be dyed naturally. RIT being easier to obtain, I went the opposite way. Naturally.
After being pricked countless times, why I didn’t give up, who knows, I promised myself it was worth it. Crazy.

Natural dyeing is 100% new to me. Start talking about mordants, and you lose me.
But But But this was simple.

1. Cut lots of berries from a Holly tree.
2. Boil them for at least an hour.
3. Drain water into a bowl, or simply remove berries from pot, leaving water behind.
4. Dump stockings in, moving around to fully cover in colored water.
5. Let soak for 1+ hour.
6. Squeeze dry and throw into dryer until completely dry.
Done!

I ended up with a soft pink, very subtle and pretty, as opposed to the pure white I started with.
This can become addictive, no? Checkout my inspiration over at Ways of the Whorl, where she gets a beautiful blue from black beans.